HomeMy WebLinkAboutA004 - Council Action Form dated July 14, 1992 COUNCIL ACTION FORM
Item #
Date: July 1 , 1992
SUBJECT: Changing the "Feeding the Meter" Ordinance No. 18.29.
BACKGROUND:
George Lawson, Library Director, has requested that the Parking Ordi-
nance Section No. 18.29 be exempted for parking meters on Douglas Ave-
nue from 5th to 6th Street. This code requirement stipulates that no
operator of a vehicle shall permit a vehicle to remain in a metered space
longer than the maximum time allowed of 1 hour. It pertains to the "feed-
ing" of the meter and was designed to discourage motorists from remaining
in the metered space for extended periods (e.g. 3 to 8 hours). By ex-
empting this restriction, these meters can be legally used by library and
other user's that have short term visits longer than one hour.
In the process of evaluating this ordinance, staff has proposed to the
Campustown and Downtown Betterment Association a change to the ordi-
nance which would allow vehicles to be parked in a metered space in the
Downtown and Campustown areas for up to four hours. This was present-
ed to the associations on July 7th and 8th for information and comment.
Both groups had no problem with the change. Currently, the City regula-
tions require that a vehicle can be parked at a metered space up to the
time duration of the meter. For example, where the meters have a two
hour duration along most of 5th and Main Street, vehicles can be legally
parked in these spaces for up to two hours. It is believed that in some
cases this doesn't allow patrons enough time to shop in the business areas.
By changing this ordinance, these patrons will be given additional time to
do business as long as additional time is purchased. The attached meter
map shows the areas where meters with two hour durations are located.
The City has received numerous complaints about this ordinance when it is
enforced. These complaints are received from user's that have paid for
the time at the meter, though weren't aware of the time restriction.
Currently no signage is posted for this type of illegal parking due to the
complexity and the possible confusion with the sign's message.
Over the past years this ordinance has been lightly enforced since it's
been a very inefficient method of regulating long-term parking. In order
for this ordinance to be enforced, personnel must mark tires and return to
check parked vehicles at timed intervals, making it very time consuming.
For the time expended, it's more effective to have personnel check and
write tickets for unexpired meters at regular intervals, to combat the
problem. With the current level of enforcement, there's a high probability
that long-term users who frequently park for extended periods will get
tickets for parking in metered spaces that have expired. (All day usage
of the parking meters requires plugging them up to six times per day.)
CAF '- Feed Meter Ordinance
July 14, 1992
Page 2
The ordinance was established because of concerns about long-term usage
of the metered spaces. With the current enforcement practice, 2% of the
two-hour metered spaces are occupied by vehicles that have been parked
longer than four hours, according to a 1991 study. During this study
period, the "feeding meter" ordinance has been lightly enforced. In the
past six months, there have been 66 tickets issued for "feeding meters".
This accounts for less than 1% of the tickets issued for illegal parking.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Change the "Feeding the Meter" Ordinance No. 18.29 to allow vehicles
to be park in all metered stalls in Campustown and Downtown areas
for up to 4 hours, and pass the ordinance on the first reading.
3. Only change the ordinance to allow vehicles to be parked up to 4
hours in the metered spaces on Douglas from 5th to 6th Street in
front of the Library.
4. Do nothing.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is recommended by the City Manager that the City Council adopt alter-
native number 1, thereby changing the "Feeding the Meter" Ordinance
No. 18.29 to allow vehicles to be park in all metered stalls in Campustown
and Downtown areas for up to 4 hours, and pass the ordinance on the
first reading.
COUNCIL ACTION
SL:Rev3
2
"Sec. 18.29. VIOLATIONS OF A MAXIMUM TIME LIMIT AT
A METERED PARKING SPACE, "FEEDING THE
METER PROHIBITED.
(1) During the hours when a parking space is con-
trolled by a parking meter, no person shall park a
vehicle in a metered parking space longer than the
maximum time limit allowed at that metered parking
space, as provided for in section 18.4(2).
(2) No person shall deposit or cause to be deposited;
an additional coin or coins to extend the paid for
parking displayed on the meter beyond the maximum
parking time limit applicable to that metered parking
space."
(Ord. No. 843, Sec. 216; Code 1956, Sec. 25-116)
Section Three. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in con-
flict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict if any.
Section Four. Violation of this ordinance shall be a misde-
meanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $100.00 or by imprisonment
not to exceed thirty (30) days.
Section Five. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect
from and after June 18 1981.
Passed this 16th day of June 1981.
Gina Bicknese, City Clerk Mary�-Atheijly, Mayor r Tem
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